Tuesdays & Pie
by prongsridesagain
Summary: James and Sirius are worried beyond belief as their girlfriends are off on Order duty. What does that mean? It's time for pie. James/Lily Sirius/OC One-Shot


James and Sirius hated Tuesdays.

James was sitting in an armchair in the living room of their flat just tapping his feet on the ground and Sirius was up pacing back and forth. It was a common way to find them when they were worried or nervous, James trying to stop his legs from shaking usually would take out his snitch as well.

Releasing it into the air, he waited a few minutes before reaching up a grabbing it back down. Lily hated that he still had the thing but she laid off him more now knowing it was a nervous tick and not just to show off. Grasping the little golden ball he rubbed his fingers over the ridges and wished that he could calm down. Also that Sirius would stop pacing because he was going to burn a hole through their rug.

"Twenty minutes until their patrol is over, you think we should pop over there?" Sirius turned, his grey eyes hopeful.

"I guess we could," he responded, trying not to sound just as desperate. "Gemma made that pie yesterday, we could just say we went over for that."

"Brilliant, then I won't get yelled at for being overprotective again."

"If you'd stop freaking out that your girlfriend is going to shag Gideon –"

"They snogged that one time…who knows what'll happen!"

"We were second years and Gideon barely even pecked her. Calm down boy, let's go get a treat."

"Fantastic, dog humor, really what I need right now Prongs."

They looked at each other for a moment, a smirk on both their faces, before they apparated across London.

"Besides, Gid and Fabian are probably the best partners they could have."

"What about us?"

"I doubt putting us with them would work very well. We're too easily distracted by them."

Sirius sighed, flicking his wand and turning on the lights and looking around the living room. The place always screamed Lily and Gemma every time he saw it. From the rosy red couch to the antique lamps all the way to the chipped blue china they served food on. Lily's bedroom was even more her and every time he walked in it he cherished it.

Running a hand through his hair, he tossed off his trainers and padded across the carpet and then into the kitchen. By now he wasn't confused by the odd oven thing or the rectangular freezer box, they were just the way muggle's did things. And if that's how Lily and her best friend wanted to live, he would just accept that.

"Found the pie!" He called out, the cherry pie smelling even more delicious than the day before. Though, that was probably because he hadn't eaten since lunch but that was beside the point.

"Oh thank Merlin, I'm starving."

"I think there is vanilla ice cream in the freezer thing."

Sirius nodded, walking over and grabbing a small tub of vanilla before grabbing a spoon. He put a scoop on each plate as James put down slices of pie and then they grinned before digging in. He loved pie, he wasn't sure why it took him so long to realize that but he did. He loved the gooey filling and the flaky crust, it was just bloody amazing.

"Fuck this is good pie."

"You can say that again."

"Fuck this is good pie."

"Always such a prat."

"Love you too Prongs."

"I'd marry this pie."

"Lily will be devastated…giving her up for pie. Though, don't really blame you. This pie is gorgeous and it never talks back."

"Again, the prat thing…relevant."

"I will stab you with my fork."

"I can take it."

"Not if I stab you in the eye."

"No truer words ever spoken." He laughed, Sirius joining in for a moment before they heard the large grandfather clock strike 11.

"They were supposed to be back by now."

"They're only five minutes late." But even James couldn't help the panic seeping in as his heart started to beat faster and thud hard against his chest. "I'm sure they're just checking in with Moody."

"Right, I bet that's it. I'm going to go have a fag, care to join me?"

"Why the hell not?"

Putting their plates in the sink, they both went downstairs in their sock feet and out front. Leaning against the wall, Sirius did some quick wandless magic and lit his fag. The light illuminated his face and he could see just how worried his mate was. Trying to be calm for the both of them, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and rubbed at the cement with his foot.

"They're fine, right? I mean, someone would have told us by now if they weren't."

"Mate, there is no need to freak out. They'll be here any second."

"Of course they will. So, you taking Lily out tomorrow then?"

He noted his change of subject with a small chuckle. "Yeah, why?"

"You're getting pretty serious with her, aren't you? I mean, not that that's a bad thing, I'm just curious."

"I'm sure you are. I mean, I guess, we've been dating for what….ten months? I've loved her for two years, it's always been serious, Padfoot."

"I know, and I'm happy she finally realized you weren't a complete tosser. She's a great girl."

"Finally admitting you like her, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Sirius acted offended for a moment, hand on his chest as he took another drag. "Okay fine. Once I realized that she wasn't going to steal you away into the darkness and leave me alone forever I warmed up a little."

"I'll thank Gemma when she gets here."

"What does she have to do with anything?"

"She has to do with everything. I mean, come on Sirius, if you didn't have her I'd be going on dates with an annoying third wheel all the time."

"I don't understand why you're so mean today."

"And without her, you'd never have liked Lily so much."

"I guess she helped warm me up a bit."

"And then I have to thank her for that pie."

"Right-o."

"I think I'm going to propose to Lily soon."

Sirius seemed to choke on the smoke, coughing and hacking for a few minutes before righting himself and leaning back casually against the wall once more. Sometimes James thought Sirius tried hard to make himself appear cooler than he was but James knew that's just how he was. He didn't even realize what he was doing half the time, he just looked like that.

"Right, proposing a trip?"

"You know what I meant you daft dog."

"Fine, but why do you want to get married so bad?"

"Who knows how much anyone of us has left –"

"Don't say that shit Prongs. It's too fucking depressing."

"It's true. Come on Sirius, they still aren't back. How many nights are we going to go through this? What if they never come back?"

"Shut up James. Don't say that."

"I'm trying to keep my cool right now Padfoot but I'm about to die of heart failure. I can't take them not being here just as much as you can't. I don't like not knowing where she is, I don't like not knowing if she's okay."

"They're fine…they have to be fine."

James ignored the comment, trying hard not to just turn around and punch the brick wall. "I want to be with her for as long as I possibly can and I want to have her be mine."

"But you don't have to marry her for that."

"I want to marry her because I love her."

"You're mad you are."

"You'll be my best man, yeah?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Now, how much longer before I should apparate out of here and find them?"

"We don't know where they were going, Prongs. Otherwise I would have left ten minutes ago."

They stood out there in the slight cold autumn night with no shoes on and smoke floating up into the air. James looked at his watch and noted that it had been thirty minutes since they should have been home. There was a part of him that wanted to ball up in the fetal position and rock until someone said it was all over and the other part wanted to punch the masks of Death Eaters. Neither, thankfully, happened because a moment later there were two distinct pops right in front of them.

His eyes were automatically drawn to Lily, her hair a little damp and frizzy from sweat and her clothes covered in blood. He looked at her up and down though, not a cut or scratch on her. She looked okay aside from the muck on her clothes. Then he looked at Gemma and she was a bit worse for wear. A large gash on her forehead explained where all the blood had come from and he could see bruises forming on her arms.

"You didn't eat all the pie, did you?" Gemma said, her hands on her hips. "I've been thinking about that pie all night and if you two ate it all I will kill you."

"Gems, are you alright?" James said, Sirius just staring her with the fag still between his lips. He looked like he was in shock.

"I'm fine."

"Moody patched her up pretty well. The gash needs a few plasters but I'm sure she'll be okay. Sorry we were late." Lily smiled before walking up to him and hugging him tightly.

"Oh, it's fine. We weren't too worried."

"Yeah, not at all."

"Sirius Black, you put out that cigarette and kiss me. I almost died." Gemma laughed, walking up to him and he seemed to finally snap out of it.

"What the hell happened?"

"Death Eaters, you know, the usual. Used Snape's old hex, remember that Sectusempra nonsense?" They all nodded as Gemma talked, "Hurts like a right bitch."

"He wasn't there, Severus that is, but he must've taught them."

"Slimy git. Come on, let's get you in the shower, yeah?" Sirius finally did kiss Gemma before they all headed upstairs and back into the apartment.

Lily held his hand the whole time, shaking slightly as she guided him back to her room and then closed the door. He sat down on her bed, watching as she stripped out of her clothing and then just stood there in her underpants.

"She could have died James."

The night seemed to start setting in her mind, James could practically see her breaking down in front of him. He didn't like it one bit.

"Shhh, Lily, it's alright."

Holding her close she curled up in his lap and he could feel tears soaking through his shirt. "All that blood. I thought…when I saw her lying on the ground. I thought I was going to have to come back here and tell Sirius she was dead. I thought I lost my best friend."

"Lily, please, don't cry. I can't stand it when you cry."

"I don't want to lose anyone James. I don't want to lose any of our friends. Gemma is like my sister."

"I know love, I know. I love her too."

He held her as she calmed herself, her body slowly stopped trembling and her fingers lessened their grip on his shirt. Part of him wanted to just blurt out that she should marry him but he feared that would sound like he was only asking her because he was trying to make her feel better. Or even maybe just because he was afraid they were going to die. And yeah, that was part of it, but most of it was just because of her. He wanted to make sure that came across when he proposed.

"You didn't eat all the pie, did you?" Lily wiped at her face, James smiling at her as she got back up and searched for clothes.

"No, we left part of it. Think the ice cream is gone though."

"Tossers, you lot." She laughed, leaning over and kissing him hard on the mouth, her hands taking refuge in his hair. He loved when she did that, her fingers massaging his scalp and the warm cinnamon smell of her hair engulfing his senses. He loved her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She took his hand again, leading him back out and into the kitchen where Gemma and Sirius were. Gemma was wearing Sirius's shirt, her hair dripping wet from her shower and all her injuries so dark against her pale skin that James got another strong urge to punch something. He realized, when he told Lily that he'd come to love her best friend that he was completely honest. Gemma was like a sister or another Marauder to him now. He wanted to kill whoever hurt her.

"Shouldn't you be wearing pants? That's a bit indecent," James joked, Lily laughing as she went to grab dishes.

"You can't see anything, this shirt is practically a dress." Gemma said, turning a bit red as she whipped something quickly in a bowl. "You already ate all my ice cream you prat, don't go getting cute on me."

"I'm glad you're okay," he came up behind her and kissed her delicately on the top of her head. His eyes connected with Sirius's as he did and he could see just how rattled by all this he was. "I think we need a stiff drink."

"I've got vodka in the freezer."

"Cherry pie and vodka…how delicious." Gemma smiled, James noticing she was making whipped cream by hand. Muggle magic.

"To life!" James shouted, all of them clinking their shot glasses after Sirius had poured them.

"To pie!"

All of them laughed, Lily leaning her weight against him carefully as she ate her pie. James knew then and there that he wouldn't ever let another friend get hurt. He'd never let another one of them come home covered in blood. He'd never let Lily fear for her own life or her best friends ever again if it was the last thing he did.

He was going to keep them safe, even if it killed him.


End file.
